Sports Minister Anurag Thakur Asks Athletes To Wait For Wrestling Body Chief’s Reply On #MeToo Allegations, Promises Action

Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur on Thursday assured protesting wrestlers that stern action would be taken if any Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) coach or official is found guilty. Thakur met with the wrestlers including Babita Phogat, Sakchi malik, Bajrang Punia among others after their second day of protest at the Jantar Mantar over allegations of sexual misconduct by Wrestling Federation of India coached and its president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

In the meet, that started around 10 pm on Thursday night, the protestting wretler s

Earlier, Vinesh Phogat, the first Indian woman wrestler to win gold in both Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games, said that they have not got any ‘satisfactory response’ from the government.

“Today is the second day of our protest and we haven’t got any satisfactory response from the government. We will make sure Brij Bhushan Singh resigns and is jailed. We will also file a case,” wrestler Vinesh Phogat said on Thursday afternoon while addressing the media at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.

Vinesh Phogat had previously alleged that coaches who are favourites of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) misbehave with women wrestlers and harass them. She also accused the WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of sexually exploiting women athletes and calling her a ‘khota sikka’ after her defeat at the Tokyo Olympics 2020. Singh has denied the allegations.

The Union Sports Ministry has sought an explanation from WFI and directed it to furnish a reply within the next 72 hours on the allegations made.

Also, a meeting of the Executive Committee and the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the WFI is slated to be held on January 22 in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh and its chief Singh will participate. Olympian wrestler Bajrang Punia said:  “Five to six women wrestlers are here with us who have faced these atrocities and we have evidence to prove it.”

Earlier, some of the ace wrestlers went to office of Union Sports Ministry in Shashtri Bhawan for a meeting with ministry officials. However, they remained unsatisfied.

Olympic bronze medallist wrestler Sakshi Malik said, “Government did not promise any action, they have only given assurance and we’re not happy with the response, we request PM sir to ensure justice.”

Former wrestler and Haryana BJP leader Babita Phogat reached the protest site on Thursday to meet the wrestlers as a mediator from the government and assured the grapplers that their demands will be met. “I have assured them that the government is with them. I will try that their issues are resolved today,” Babita said.

“Babita Phogat has come from the government’s side for mediation. We will speak with her and then give more details,” wrestler Bajrang Punia said.